1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 11:15–20

¹⁵Three of the thirty chief men went down to David, to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁶At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem. ¹⁷David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”

¹⁸So the Three broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD, ¹⁹saying, “Far be it from me, my God, to do this! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” Because they had brought it at the risk of their lives, David refused to drink it.

Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.

²⁰Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the Three,^f and he wielded his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with the Three.

Footnotes

f 11:20 Hebrew; Syriac the Thirty; also in verse 21

Read all of 1 Chronicles 11

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Chronicles 11:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Three	שְֽׁלוֹשָׁה֩	šə·lō·wō·šāh	Number - masculine singular	H7969 a three, triad
of	מִן־	min-	Preposition	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
the thirty	הַשְּׁלוֹשִׁ֨ים	haš·šə·lō·wō·šîm	Article; Number - common plural	H7970 thirty
chief men	רֹ֤אשׁ	rōš	Noun - masculine singular	H7218 head
went down	וַיֵּרְד֡וּ	way·yê·rə·ḏū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3381 come or go down, descend
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
David	דָּוִ֔יד	dā·wîḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
to	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the rock	הַצֻּר֙	haṣ·ṣur	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6697 rock, cliff
at	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the cave	מְעָרַ֖ת	mə·‘ā·raṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H4631 cave
of Adullam	עֲדֻלָּ֑ם	‘ă·ḏul·lām	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H5725 Adullam
while a company	וּמַחֲנֵ֣ה	ū·ma·ḥă·nêh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular construct	H4264 encampment, camp
of Philistines	פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים	p̄ə·liš·tîm	Noun - proper - masculine plural	H6430 Philistine
was encamped	חֹנָ֖ה	ḥō·nāh	Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular	H2583 decline, bend down, encamp
in the Valley	בְּעֵ֥מֶק	bə·‘ê·meq	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6010 vale
of Rephaim	רְפָאִֽים׃	rə·p̄ā·’îm	Noun - proper - masculine plural	H7497 giant

1 Chronicles 11:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
At that time	אָ֣ז	’āz	Adverb	H227 at that time, then
David	וְדָוִ֖יד	wə·ḏā·wîḏ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
was in the stronghold	בַּמְּצוּדָ֑ה	bam·mə·ṣū·ḏāh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H4686 net, capture, fastness
and the garrison	וּנְצִ֣יב	ū·nə·ṣîḇ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H5333 pillar, prefect
of the Philistines	פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים	pə·liš·tîm	Noun - proper - masculine plural	H6430 Philistine
was at Bethlehem	לָֽחֶם׃	lā·ḥem	Preposition; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1035 Beth-Lechem

1 Chronicles 11:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
David	דָּוִ֖יד	dā·wîḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
longed for water	וַיִּתְאָו	way·yiṯ·ʾå̄w	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H183 incline, desire
and said	וַיֹּאמַ֑ר	way·yō·mar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Oh	מִ֚י	mî	Interrogative	H4310 who?
that someone	מִ֚י	mî	Interrogative	H4310 who?
would get me a drink	יַשְׁקֵ֣נִי	yaš·qê·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H8248 quaff, irrigate, furnish a potion to
of water	מַ֔יִם	ma·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
from the well	מִבּ֥וֹר	mib·bō·wr	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H953 pit, cistern, well
near the gate	בַּשָּֽׁעַר׃	baš·šā·‘ar	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H8179 gate
of Bethlehem	לֶ֖חֶם	le·ḥem	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1035 Beth-Lechem

1 Chronicles 11:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So the Three	הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֜ה	haš·šə·lō·šāh	Article; Number - masculine singular	H7969 a three, triad
broke	וַיִּבְקְע֨וּ	way·yiḇ·qə·‘ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1234 cleave, break open or through
through the Philistine	פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים	p̄ə·liš·tîm	Noun - proper - masculine plural	H6430 Philistine
camp	בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה	bə·ma·ḥă·nêh	Preposition-b; Noun - common singular construct	H4264 encampment, camp
drew	וַיִּֽשְׁאֲבוּ־	way·yiš·’ă·ḇū-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7579 draw
water	מַ֙יִם֙	ma·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
from the well	מִבּ֤וֹר	mib·bō·wr	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H953 pit, cistern, well
at the gate	בַּשַּׁ֔עַר	baš·ša·‘ar	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H8179 gate
of Bethlehem	לֶ֙חֶם֙	le·ḥem	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1035 Beth-Lechem
and brought it	וַיָּבִ֣אוּ	way·yā·ḇi·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
back to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
David	דָּוִ֑יד	dā·wîḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
But he	דָוִיד֙	ḏā·wîḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
refused	וְלֹֽא־	wə·lō-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
to drink it	לִשְׁתּוֹתָ֔ם	liš·tō·w·ṯām	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine plural	H8354 drink
instead	וַיְנַסֵּ֥ךְ	way·nas·sêḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5258 pour out
he poured it out	וַיְנַסֵּ֥ךְ	way·nas·sêḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5258 pour out
to the LORD	לַיהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh

1 Chronicles 11:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
saying	וַיֹּ֡אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Far be it	חָלִילָה֩	ḥā·lî·lāh	Interjection; third person feminine singular	H2486 far be it
from me	לִּ֨י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
my God	מֵאֱלֹהַ֜י	mê·’ĕ·lō·hay	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H430 God
to do	מֵעֲשׂ֣וֹת	mê·‘ă·śō·wṯ	Preposition-m; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6213 do, make
this	זֹ֗את	zōṯ	Pronoun - feminine singular	H2063 this
How can I drink	אֶשְׁתֶּ֤ה	’eš·teh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H8354 drink
the blood	הֲדַ֣ם	hă·ḏam	Article; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1818 blood
of these	הָאֵ֨לֶּה	hā·’êl·leh	Article; Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
men	הָאֲנָשִׁים֩	hā·’ă·nā·šîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H582 man, mankind
who risked their lives	בְנַפְשׁוֹתָם֙	ḇə·nap̄·šō·w·ṯām	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
Because	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
they had brought it	הֱבִיא֔וּם	hĕ·ḇî·’ūm	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural; third person masculine plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
at the risk of their lives	בְנַפְשׁוֹתָ֣ם	ḇə·nap̄·šō·w·ṯām	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
refused	אָבָ֖ה	’ā·ḇāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H14 be willing, consent
to drink it	לִשְׁתּוֹתָ֑ם	liš·tō·w·ṯām	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine plural	H8354 drink
Such	אֵ֣לֶּה	’êl·leh	Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
were the exploits	עָשׂ֔וּ	‘ā·śū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H6213 do, make
of the three	שְׁלֹ֖שֶׁת	šə·lō·šeṯ	Number - masculine singular construct	H7969 a three, triad
mighty men	הַגִּבּוֹרִֽים׃	hag·gib·bō·w·rîm	Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H1368 strong, mighty

1 Chronicles 11:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now Abishai	וְאַבְשַׁ֣י	wə·’aḇ·šay	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H52 Abishai
the brother	אֲחִֽי־	’ă·ḥî-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H251 brother
of Joab	יוֹאָ֗ב	yō·w·’āḇ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3097 Joab
was	הָיָה֙	hā·yāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
chief	רֹ֣אשׁ	rōš	Noun - masculine singular construct	H7218 head
of the Three	הַשְּׁלוֹשָׁ֔ה	haš·šə·lō·wō·šāh	Article; Number - masculine singular	H7969 a three, triad
and he	ה֤וּא	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
wielded	עוֹרֵ֣ר	‘ō·w·rêr	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5782 rouse oneself, awake
his spear	חֲנִית֔וֹ	ḥă·nî·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2595 spear
against	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
three	שְׁלֹ֥שׁ	šə·lōš	Number - feminine singular construct	H7969 a three, triad
hundred	מֵא֖וֹת	mê·’ō·wṯ	Number - feminine plural	H3967 hundred
killed	חָלָ֑ל	ḥā·lāl	Noun - masculine singular	H2491 pierced
and won	וְלֹא	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Preposition; third person masculine singular	H3808 not
a name	שֵׁ֖ם	šêm	Noun - masculine singular	H8034 name
along with	בַּשְּׁלוֹשָֽׁה׃	baš·šə·lō·wō·šāh	Preposition-b, Article; Number - masculine singular	H7969 a three, triad

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Chronicles 11:15 Isaiah 17:5 · 2 Samuel 5:18 · 1 Chronicles 14:9

1 Chronicles 11:16 1 Samuel 10:5 · 1 Samuel 13:23 · 1 Samuel 13:4

1 Chronicles 11:17 John 4:14 · 2 Samuel 23:15–16 · John 4:10 · Isaiah 12:3 · Psalm 63:1

1 Chronicles 11:18 Acts 21:13

1 Chronicles 11:19 2 Samuel 23:17 · Psalm 72:14

1 Chronicles 11:20 1 Samuel 26:6

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.